SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today McAfee, the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company, announced
findings from its latest survey, Holiday Stresses, revealing the risky
habits of online shoppers, including using unsecured Wi-Fi for online
shopping and purchasing items from online retailers they are not fully
confident are genuine (51 percent). The majority of respondents (79
percent) agree that the holiday shopping season induces increased
financial stress, while 53 percent admit that this pressure can cause
them to be careless while shopping online. This highlights the need for
consumers to slow down and consider the risks of unsafe purchasing
behavior that could lead to identity theft or financial loss.

Last year consumers
spent $453.46 billion on the web for retail purchases, which was a
16 percent increase over 2016. Unfortunately, when it comes to online
shopping, consumers are more concerned about finding the lowest price
than potentially jeopardizing their personal cybersecurity in the
process. The survey found that 56 percent of consumers are willing to
use a website they are unfamiliar with, if this means they can save
money on their purchases. Even worse, 31 percent admit to clicking links
in suspicious emails for better deals.

“For most people, the holiday shopping season is a stressful time of
year, especially from a financial perspective. With added stresses and
distractions, people often let their guard down when it comes to their
digital security, which can lead to risky consequences,” said Gary
Davis, chief consumer security evangelist at McAfee. “Cybercriminals
know that people are less focused on security measures during this time
and use that to their advantage. By taking the proper steps to protect
themselves and being wary of deals and offers that appear to be too good
to be true, consumers can enjoy a safe holiday season.”

The United States of Online Shopping

The McAfee survey also examined cross country behaviors, identifying
the states that exhibit the safest online behavior. Residents in
Washington are most likely to stay cyber-safe during the holidays, with
nearly 80 percent of respondents claiming they are very unlikely to
click on a link in an unfamiliar email. Conversely, New York residents
are the most likely to fall victim to a cybercriminal, with 80 percent
claiming that they are more careless when shopping online due to the
financial stress of the season. Shoppers in Delaware reported that they
do not monitor their bank and credit card statements during the
holidays, while 70 percent of survey participants in Illinois noted that
they are willing to risk their email addresses, phone numbers, home
addresses and bank account details for an online deal.

The states where residents are most likely to fall victim to a
cybercriminal are:

1. New York

2. Illinois

3. New Mexico

4. Kansas

5. California

The states where residents are least likely to fall victim to a
cybercriminal are:

1. Washington

2. South Dakota

3. Minnesota

4. Nevada

5. Hawaii

Tips for Consumers to Stay Safe While Shopping Online:

Connect with caution. Using public Wi-Fi might seem like a good
idea in the moment, but if consumers are not careful, they could be
unknowingly exposing their personal information or credit card details
to cybercriminals who are snooping on the network. If public Wi-Fi
must be used to conduct transactions, use a virtual private network
(VPN) to help ensure a secure connection.

Think before you click. One of the easiest ways for a
cybercriminal to target victims is by using phishing emails disguised
as holiday savings or shipping notification, to lure consumers into
clicking links that could lead to malware, or a phony website designed
to steal personal information. Instead of clicking on a link in an
email, it is always best to check directly with the source to verify
an offer or shipment.

Browse with security protection. Use comprehensive
security protection, likeMcAfee
Total Protection, which can help protect devices against malware,
phishing attacks and other threats. It includes McAfee
WebAdvisor which can help identify malicious websites.

Use a tool to help protect your personal information. A
solution like McAfee
Identity Theft Protection, takes a proactive approach to help
protect identities with personal and financial monitoring and recovery
tools to help keep identities personal and secure.

Survey Methodology:

McAfee commissioned MSI-ACI to conduct a survey of 2,472 adults in the
U.S. between the ages of 18 and 55 in October 2018.

About McAfee

McAfee is the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company. Inspired by the
power of working together, McAfee creates business and consumer
solutions that make our world a safer place. www.mcafee.com.

McAfee technologies’ features and benefits depend on system
configuration and may require enabled hardware, software, or service
activation. No computer system can be absolutely secure. McAfee® and the
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